All Due Respect Issue #1

by Chris Holm, Todd Robinson, Renee Asher Pickup

Issue 1 of All Due Respect has the best of crime fiction today, including an original story and interview with featured author Chris F. Holm. The rest of the lineup: a brutal story from Thuglit editor Todd Robinson; the deeply disturbing “Amanda Will Be Fine” by Renee Asher Pickup; a revenge tale by the King of Brit Grit, Paul D. Brazill; the strangely satisfying combination of yoga and organized crime from Travis Richardson; a still-beating heart ripped straight out of the Amazon River basin by Mike Miner; and Walter Conley kicks a couple of clueless Connecticut thugs to the curb.

Plus reviews of Steve Weddle’s Country Hardball and Holm’s Collector series—and an entire section devoted to the books of legendary paperback publisher, Hard Case Crime.

All Due Respect and your eyes: a combination even better than doughnuts and coffee.

Genres: Short Stories

170 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 23, 2013

About the author

Chris Holm is the author of the cross-genre Collector trilogy, which recasts the battle between heaven and hell as old-fashioned crime pulp; the Michael Hendricks thrillers, which feature a hitman who only kills other hitmen; and the standalone scientific thriller, CHILD ZERO. He's also a former molecular biologist with a U.S. patent to his name. Chris’ work has been selected for THE BEST AMERICAN MYSTERY STORIES, named a New York Times Editors’ Choice, and won a number of awards, including the 2016 Anthony Award for Best Novel. He lives in Portland, Maine.

Reviews

[Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Due Respect is an online crime fiction magazine publishing some of the most interesting writers today. After a brief hiatus, editor Chris Rhatigan has opted to relaunch the quarterly publication offering a strong line-up out of the gate.

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for a fair review.

A Dying Art (Chris F. Holm) – "A Dying Art" opens the issue on a high note. Spinal Tap’s Nigel Tufnel would be proud given Holm’s choice to turn up the intensity to eleven. Never has the prospect of a straight shave been so terrifying.

Good Dogs (Todd Robinson) – Todd Robinson’s short story about a lovable loser hung around longer than Holm’s opener. Protagonist Albert struggles through life, hoping to finally do something good and meaningful for someone. As Albert’s not the kind of guy that life looks favorably upon, it creates someone for the reader to cheer on, even if he is a little hopeless.

Amanda Will Be Fine (Renee Asher Pickup) – A solid story about the horrors of child abuse and the lasting effect on its victims. Next to Holm’s entry, it’s my favorite of the bunch.

The Bucket List (Paul D. Brazill) – A gangster on a tight schedule is out for revenge. Armed with a serious sense of self righteousness and his loyal daughter, Quigley is on a mission to take down a major player in the drug trade.

Private Practice (Travis Richardson) – A unique story with an almost American Psycho feel. The high stress inner monologue mixed with the relaxed nature of Yoga creates an interesting combination.

The Church of the Sad Sisters (Mike Miner) – An unsettling story about a young woman held captive in a strict church. Farmed out for wayward men, she keeps watch over her son. Seems out of place in the collection. Not a bad story per se, just odd.

Chicken: A Wellesport Story (Walter Conley) – Two gangsters deliver a mysterious briefcase to a lumberyard. Unaware of it’s contents and reason for delivery, the pair struggle over what to do. A great revenge tale and a solid way to close out the fiction section.

Coupled with the short stories, we get a lengthy interview with Chris F. Holm, reviews of his Collector series as well as a look at Steve Weddle’s new novel and thoughts on a few Hardcase Crime releases.

This is a publication I’ll be checking out in the future.

I interviewed one of the editors for Every Read Thing. Check it out!

[Karl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read Chris F. Holm's "The Collector" series so I thought that I would see what his writing was like by starting out with a short story. Chris F. Holm story "A Dying Art" is about a barber out for revenge. Mr. Holm did a great job keeping up tension and explaining motivation. The interview with MR. Holm was also of interest.

Renee Asher Pickup’s "Amanda Will Be Fine" was another top story in this collection.

The reviews and interviews make this collection worth owning. I's nice to find another fine addition to the Crime/detective/noir genre.

I went ahead and ordered issues 2 and 3.

[Scott Cumming · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always going to be lured in by something with a Todd Robinson story and such was the case here. Robinson's entry is much more sombre than his usual fare, but still bracing as ever. Renee Asher Pickup writes the standout story hear and one that will live long in the memory as I'm sure it would with any parent. Travis Richardson's tale of yoga oand organised crime is another standout in a fine opening issue. Other contributors include Paul D. Brazill, Mike Miner, Walter Conley and headliner Chris Holm and his story of a gangster going for a (close) shave.

[Rory Costello · Rating 4 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed the prior "All Due Respect" compilation, and this is a cool new follow-up with a bonus: the non-fiction corner with an interview and reviews. I now have some more intriguing authors to follow. As for the stories here, they were all at least quite good, some superb. My particular favorite was "Good Dogs" by Todd Robinson.

[Joseph Patchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lurid-lit has my full review. Gritty.

[Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

Crime short story collection

I've been in the mood for reading noir/pulp short stories, putting off picking up King's latest brick for some reason. I just like the genre and the quick, compact stories. This one didn't disappoint. There's an interview and several book reviews at the end. The stories are all well written by a variety of authors. Enjoyed them all.

[A.B. Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well put together journal, with fiction, non-fiction and book reviews, but all themed hard-boiled and/or noir, and mostly crime.
The fiction pieces were all excellent, with some of my favourite noir authors of short stories: Renee Asher Pickup and Todd Robinson being the standouts for me.